Objective

To determine the patterns of drug use in Estonia for the years 1989 and 1994-1995, i.e. for the years before and after the pharmaceutical services in the country changed from a state monopoly to a competitive market.

Methods

The wholesale data from Estonia and the defined daily doses methodology were used.

For comparison, national statistics on medicines from Finland and Sweden for the years 1994-1995 are shown.

Results

The general sales of drugs in Estonia decreased almost twofold in all major pharmacological groups from 1989 to 1994 and subsequently increased by 10% - 30% in 1995.

Substantial differences in patterns of drug use between Estonia and the two Nordic countries were observed.

The amount of prescription-only medicines used in Estonia was approximately 25% of that used in Finland and Sweden.

The amount of over-the-counter drugs used was 61% of that used in Finland and 58% of that used in Sweden. (...)